Hoping for some advice

Hi, Ive heard this is the place to go for advice on bunny care and hope someone can help. I was cleaning out my bunny today and although he seems his normal self, eating drinking and running around like a madman whilst I was out there he went off to his poo corner and did the most massive soft poos. Since then he has done aout 30 of these poos, clearly damp and soft, but not so squishy they cant hold shape, about 3 times the size of a normal poo. I had seen none when I was cleaning it up, so it much have just started. Like I said he seems totally normal and happy in himself, and is clean underneath etc. he just seems to be doing loads and loads of these huge poos. No normal poos since he started this, must have been going on about half hour 45mins.

Any help appreciated, if not Im going to give the vets a call and see what they say.

Hi, welcome to RU! :wave:

How long have you had your bunny? What do you feed him on? Is he a good hay eater? Have you given him anything different to eat in the past couple of days?

It sounds to me like he might have worms. They can cause the soft dropping without the bunny showing any outwood signs of illness. It's best to take a stool sample into the vet anyway, as they'll be able to test for worms, and other nasties. It is possible that he has dental problems (rabbits are prone to these) and one of the symptoms is unformed droppings. Make sure if you take him in that the vet checks his mouth with an otoscope.

In the mean time, keep him well hydrated - offer him a bowl as well as a bottle of clean, fresh water, and maybe some cucumber?

If he's well in himself, don't worry too much. It's always best to get them checked by a vet though, to be on the safe side. Anyway, glad you've come to join us! Have you any piccies you can share? We RUer's thrive on piccies!

Hi, thanks for the reply. I have had him for just over 5 years, the "rescue" (a woman taking in buns and rehoming, but not a full scale funded thing) estimated him aat about 18months ish when I got him. He has a few excel pellets in the evenings, eats a good bit of hay, although he is fussy about what sorts and has grass morning and evening and selections of veggies depending on what we have in the house, oh and apple tree sticks.

He wont actually drink from a bottle so has a bowl of water in the hutch and one in the run. He's not a massive fan of cucumber, would tomato have a high enough water content to help? How is bunny worms treated? Is it like other pets and I can just give him a dose of a bunny wormer and he'll be ok? Worried about the poor little lad.

Edit: Im actually on the work PC currently, so no pics, Ill try and put some up later when my pc has finished the monster update it seems to be doing.

Rabbit worms are treated with Panacur:

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/rabbit-supplies-rabbit-wormers-c-649_651/panacur-rabbit-oral-paste-5g-p-1105

It's good stuff. My buns have had worms twice now (possible three times - I'm waiting for the results) and have always been treated successfully. It sounds rather like worms to me - it seems unlikely to be a dietry issue after all this time, and I think if it were his teeth he'd be showing discomfort.

I wouldn't advocate feeding tomato, as the high sugar levels can cause bacterial overgrowth (avoid fruit for the same reason) which may make matters worse. So long as he has access to water he should be fine.

Should I be worming regularly or is it a watch and treat when it appears thing? If its a regular thing, how frequently?

You can dose them routinely as a prevention. His grass will now be contaminated anyway, if he's pooed on it since picking up the worms (it's most likely he picked them up from hay originally) so he will need to be wormed about every 3 months from now on.

It's just specualtion though, of course, that worms are the problem. I would take a stool sample to be tested, to rule out any other problems, but start worming him straight away (you should be able to pick up the panacur from the desk at the vets - just give them a ring to check) to cover him. It could be a week before the results are back so it's best to start the treatment straight away. If he shows any sign of discomfort, stops eating or using his littertray, take him for a consult.

Ive scooped some of the suspect poo into a little bottle, got to call in the vets for some stuff for nans horses so Ill ask if they have some wormer and sort then.

He should be ok to carry on eating normal food right? He seems to have already devoured a lot of the apple tree twigs from earlier and half a bunny size pile of hay. Ill keep a close eye, vets isnt far so can run him there whenever if he changes.

Does it look like this?
These are called cecotropes - buns need to eat these to get all the nutrients they require...if you see them laying about - perhaps the diet is too high in proteins/etc and so they dont eat them. it is important that they do eat these though & a change in diet is needed if you seem them laying about - more hay!

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html

Hope this is what you are seeing...though could ne totally off the mark!:wave:

chelle said:

Does it look like this?
These are called cecotropes - buns need to eat these to get all the nutrients they require...if you see them laying about - perhaps the diet is too high in proteins/etc and so they dont eat them. it is important that they do eat these though & a change in diet is needed if you seem them laying about - more hay!

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html

Click to expand...

If its not these - then probably worms as suggested...
Hope the vet can assess asap for you!


Sorry - double post - now have Mahooosive pics of poops!:lol: